Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co. goes to market Friday, bringing to five the number of craft breweries operating in the Houston area.

“Finally, the big day,” said founder Rassul Zarinfar, who will deliver the first keg of his flagship copper ale 1836 to the downtown Flying Saucer at 8 a.m.

Zarinfar will return to the Saucer at noon to kick off the new brewery’s first official day in business. If you miss him there, you can catch him at 4 p.m. at Valhalla, the on-campus bar at Zarinfar’s alma mater, Rice University.

“My first homebrew was on campus at Rice,” he said.

UPDATE: Zarinfar is off to a strong start this fine day. I just walked over to the Flying Saucer to find a good-size crowd there for the debut.

Other scheduled first-day appearances include Little Woodrow’s in the Rice Village at 6 p.m., followed by Kelvin Arms at 8 and Hans’ Bier Haus at 10. Other accounts getting the first batches include many of the usual suspects along Washington Avenue and in the Heights and Montrose areas. I’ll post a full list when I get one. Full list:

1836 is a 5.9 percent ABV beer brewed with Victory malts, Willamette, East Kent Goldings and Cascade hops and an American yeast strain.

“We’ve got 80 kegs to last us two weeks,” Zarinfar said, and he hopes that is enough.

“The response has been just humbling and flattering,” he said. “In my most arrogant moments, I didn’t think we could sell this much beer.”

Don’t expect brewery tours until after the grand opening sometime in mid-March. BuffBrew is a two-man crew, and Zarinfar and brewer Ryan Robertson are going to have their hands full for a while with the launch.

In the meantime, here is a photo gallery from a brewery preview party held last month.

Photo: Ronnie Crocker / Beer, TX

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Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co.'s first offering will be 1836, described as a "copper ale" and named for the year of Houston's founding. Here, brewer Ryan Robertson holds one of the inaugural tap handles that could start showing up in local bars in just a few weeks. less

Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co.'s first offering will be 1836, described as a "copper ale" and named for the year of Houston's founding. Here, brewer Ryan Robertson holds one of the inaugural tap handles that could ... more

Photo: Ronnie Crocker / Beer, TX

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Robertson, foreground at right, and founder Rassul Zarinfar discussed their beers with an attentive crowd. Although the samples were all from small test batches, Zarinfar said Robertson has "dialed in" 1836. Next up, he said, will be a gingerbread stout. less

Robertson, foreground at right, and founder Rassul Zarinfar discussed their beers with an attentive crowd. Although the samples were all from small test batches, Zarinfar said Robertson has "dialed in" 1836. ... more

Photo: Ronnie Crocker / Beer, TX

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There's still work to be done before Zarinfar and Robertson can start production. The brewery is on Nolda, between TC Jester and Durham, just south of I-10.

There's still work to be done before Zarinfar and Robertson can start production. The brewery is on Nolda, between TC Jester and Durham, just south of I-10.

Photo: Ronnie Crocker / Beer, TX

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A little holiday lights and greenery brightened the warehouse setting. Notice the barrel at left, one of four that recently arrived from Jack Daniels and will be used to age some upcoming beers.

A little holiday lights and greenery brightened the warehouse setting. Notice the barrel at left, one of four that recently arrived from Jack Daniels and will be used to age some upcoming beers.

Photo: Ronnie Crocker / Beer, TX

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The Buff Brew crew poured samples of a couple of beers still under development -- a tart hibiscus wit spiced with ginger, a dubbel and the same dubbel pitched with brettanomyces for a touch of the wild. The pair relaxed with their guests over drinks and dinner. less

The Buff Brew crew poured samples of a couple of beers still under development -- a tart hibiscus wit spiced with ginger, a dubbel and the same dubbel pitched with brettanomyces for a touch of the wild. The ... more

Photo: Ronnie Crocker / Beer, TX

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Dawn Burrell, representing chef Monica Pope, kicked off with a tangy salad of pickled shrimp over shaved beets, before we moved on to Matt Schlabach's beef and pork sausage cooked in 1836 (the beer not the year). Look for the sausages at Schlabach's City Acre Brewing Co. when it opens late next year. I regret not getting a shot of his awesome pickled green tomatoes. less

Dawn Burrell, representing chef Monica Pope, kicked off with a tangy salad of pickled shrimp over shaved beets, before we moved on to Matt Schlabach's beef and pork sausage cooked in 1836 (the beer not the ... more

Photo: Ronnie Crocker / Beer, TX

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Ryan Pera, co-owner of Revival Market, which specializes in cured meats and on Sunday is hosting a demonstration (already sold out, sorry) on how to butcher a hog. He brought a squash and cheese pairing.

Ryan Pera, co-owner of Revival Market, which specializes in cured meats and on Sunday is hosting a demonstration (already sold out, sorry) on how to butcher a hog. He brought a squash and cheese pairing.

Photo: Ronnie Crocker / Beer, TX

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For better or worse, dessert is my weakness. And pastry chef Rebecca Masson didn't disappoint with this English-style pudding/mousse-like dish known as a syllabub. For good reason, she christened her business Fluff Bake Bar. less

For better or worse, dessert is my weakness. And pastry chef Rebecca Masson didn't disappoint with this English-style pudding/mousse-like dish known as a syllabub. For good reason, she christened her business ... more

Photo: Ronnie Crocker / Beer, TX

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I was already familiar with the handiwork of Masson, shown here, from a couple of Vic & Anthony's beer dinners onto which she put the fine finishing touches.

I was already familiar with the handiwork of Masson, shown here, from a couple of Vic & Anthony's beer dinners onto which she put the fine finishing touches.

Photo: Ronnie Crocker / Beer, TX

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Zarinfar called 1836 "our bread and butter" and explained, "It's a beer we think we can have every day of the week, regardless of the weather." In addition, Buff Brew plans to offer a variety of beers, frequently rotated. Robertson said to expect traditional styles, tweaked in interesting ways. less

Zarinfar called 1836 "our bread and butter" and explained, "It's a beer we think we can have every day of the week, regardless of the weather." In addition, Buff Brew plans to offer a variety of beers, ... more

Photo: Ronnie Crocker / Beer, TX

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My favorite of the evening was probably the dubbel made with brettanomyces, which gave it an interesting touch of sourness. As someone once explained to me, after you train your body that it's OK to drink something sour you've opened yourself up to an entirely new range of flavors. less

My favorite of the evening was probably the dubbel made with brettanomyces, which gave it an interesting touch of sourness. As someone once explained to me, after you train your body that it's OK to drink ... more